The Country

The global dairy market is expected to face a period of weaker commodity prices following "stunning" global milk production growth across the second half of 2025, according to Rabobank, in its Q4 Global Dairy Quarterly Report. So is a $9 milk price now on the cards?

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We ask the NZ First leader and Minister of Foreign Affairs about “survive to ’25” and “the fix for ’26”. We also discuss the latest polls, RMA reforms, an FTA with India, and Stuart Nash. Plus, how many more elections does the 80-year-old have left in him?

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According to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s latest report, our national lamb crop for the 2025–26 season is up 1% on last season, driven by stronger ewe performance in most regions. We catch up with the chairwoman of Beef + Lamb NZ to find out more.

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For our final Farmstrong farmer for  2025, we head to the Hauraki Plains and a contract milker milking 330 cows. 

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Our Australian correspondent talks about a live cattle trade running out of ships and why a 5-10% recovery in the US beef herd would pose a big problem for the Lucky Country. 

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Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Wayne Langford, Professor Will Happer, and Campbell Parker.

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The Prime Minister ponders an FTA with India, the RMA reforms, the latest 1News poll, and whether lamb beats ham for Christmas in the Luxon household.

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The President of Federated Farmers applauds the RMA reforms, and we count down the Feds’ “12 Pests of Christmas”. 

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Strong attendance at climate change events with world-renowned Princeton physicist Will Happer demonstrates support for a serious conversation about climate change policy. So says Groundswell. But is the good doctor simply a climate change denier?

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The chief executive of DairyNZ releases the latest break-even price ($8.50) for milk production, and celebrates some good wins in 2025 on the biosecurity and research fronts.

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Jamie Mackay talks to Mike Petersen, Richard Dawkins, Todd Charteris, Farmer Tom Martin, and Jo Luxton.

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Hawke’s Bay farmer and former special ag trade envoy and chairman of Beef + Lamb NZ. Today we yarn about the big dry, progress on the Tukituki dam, an FTA with India, Trump’s tariffs and Petersen’s Ag Person of the Year.

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Marlborough farmer and Federated Farmers’ Meat and Wool Chair. Today, he talks about the “Twelve Pests of Christmas” and why there are no politicians on the list. We also preview today’s RMA announcement from the Government and discuss the big dry. 

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The chief executive of Rabobank comments on the bank’s latest farmer confidence survey, which sees farmer sentiment dipping from near-record highs, with dairy farmers now less confident. 

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Our UK farming correspondent discusses one of the worst grain harvests on record (three of the worst five on record have happened since 2020). We also discuss the worst government ever for British farmers and one of the better English rugby sides.  

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Labour’s Agriculture Spokesperson comments on the RMA, an FTA with India, carbon farming, the associated wildfires, and the latest poll.

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Jamie Mackay talks to Lorin Clarke, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, Richard Loe, and Phil Duncan.

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We catch up with the daughter of iconic Kiwi comedian John Clarke (aka Fred Dagg) ahead of tomorrow night’s premiere in Palmerston North of her movie/doco “Not only Fred Dagg”.

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Today’s farmer/politician panel discusses Fred Dagg, a big RMA announcement tomorrow, changes to micro abattoir rules, a hornet update, doing battle with Chlöe Swarbrick over emissions and Shane’s latest flip-flop on fishing.

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